Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finds himself in the eye of the storm after the bodies of six hostages were found. HamasProtesters, the opposition, relatives and part of his government accuse the Hebrew president of obstructing attempts at a ceasefire that would allow the hostages to be freed alive.
The latest to join the criticism was the President of the United States, Joe Bidenwho assured this Monday that the agreement to release the hostages “it’s very close”even though he questioned Netanyahu’s policies, whom he criticized “not doing enough” to conclude the said pact.
Asked by reporters during a White House meeting whether Netanyahu was doing enough to reach a deal on the hostages, Biden responded with a resounding “no,” but gave no further details.
However, when asked whether he planned to present a final agreement on the hostages to both sides this week, the US president was also very direct: ““We are very close to it.”.
“Hope is the last thing we lose”he added when asked if the deal would go through.
The reaction from Biden, the leading international promoter of a peace deal in the Gaza Strip, comes a day after the Israeli army recovered the bodies of six hostages and in the midst of social mobilization against the Israeli government.
ORn last truce plan
The United States plans to present a definitive ceasefire plan in the coming days, which, if not accepted by Israel and Hamas, could mark the end of negotiationsas indicated The Washington Post.
Quote to a senior Biden administration official, The American newspaper assures that the US government has discussed with Egypt and Qatar the details of a final agreement which he plans to present to two parties in the coming weeks.
Biden and Kamala Harris, according to the White House agenda, met this Monday with the negotiating team of the American hostage agreement, just hours after the Israeli army recovered the lifeless bodies of six hostages, including the young American. Hersh Goldberg-Polin23, one of those kidnapped in the surprise attack on a peace music festival near the border with the Gaza Strip.
According to the portal AxiosAfter consulting government sources, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan spoke to the families of American hostages kidnapped in Gaza on Sunday and told them that Biden was considering bringing in Israel and Hamas. a final proposal allowing the release of the hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza later this week.
The emergency grew after Israeli forces found the bodies of six hostages in a tunnel in Gaza on Saturday, including that of young American Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
Shortly after learning of the tragic outcome of the six hostages murdered by Hamas, Biden said in a statement that he felt “devastated And shocked“for confirmation of the death of Goldberg-Polin, whose parents spoke a few weeks ago at the Democratic National Convention to call for an end to the violence between Israel and Islamist militias, and for an agreement that would result in the release of the hostages deprived of their freedom since October 7.
